Transparency takes a hit as Kerala excludes GST wing from RTI
Thiruvananthapuram: The state govt has excluded its GST intelligence and enforcement wing from the ambit of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, effectively shielding a crucial revenue enforcement body from public scrutiny. The exemption, issued through a gazette notification under Section 24(4) of the RTI Act, mirrors a step taken by the Centre, but it has been pointed out that the central agencies deal with national security and allied matters.
Besides claiming that the exemption is in the "larger public interest" to protect the confidentiality of ongoing probes and intelligence sources, the notification dated April 21 cites the central decision to exempt its Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) to cover intelligence work for Central Goods and Services Tax.
"There is no national security angle here. GST enforcement is about financial compliance, not sensitive intelligence. The larger public interest lies in disclosure, not in secrecy... This only protects those wishing to avoid scrutiny," former chief information commissioner Vinson M Paul said.
The govt has cited provisions of the GST Act that allow exemptions from disclosure earlier also to restrict public access to governance data. These include denial of information on several assembly questions on alleged tax evasion by private firms, including CMRL that was accused of making monthly payments to chief minister's daughter Veena T and her firm.
